There are no words to describe the feeling of a team losing two games in a row to previously winless opponents. There are no words to describe the feeling of the Saints one week making Emmitt Smith look twenty-five, and the next making Brian Griese look like Bob Griese. There are no words to describe the high of a team that two weeks ago was 2-1 and had fans on high facing the prospect of being 4-1, now being 2-3 and having fans again looking for their paper bags. And Minnesota, one of the highest scoring teams in the league is up next. Look out below.
Sunday’s game at Tampa Bay started out on a very positive note with halfback Deuce McAllister returning two weeks early from a high ankle sprain and starting the game. McAllister ran well but was probably the biggest catalyst in the Saints’ defeat. His fumble in the first quarter that was scooped up by Ronde Barber and run in for a Tampa Bay touchdown seemed to let any wind that the Saints had in their sails out. And this was McAllister’s second fumble of the game, the first was recovered by a teammate. McAllister did end the game with over one hundred yards rushing, his first such feat in his last seven games started, but it was overshadowed by his new found propensity for putting the ball on the ground.
And once middle linebacker Orlando Ruff, who was starting for injured rookie Courtney Watson, blew his coverage on Tampa Bay tight end Ken Dilger in the second half for a forty-five yard touchdown score, the game was pretty much sealed. Not to allow his leadership to go unnoticed, starting left tackle Wayne Gandy was called for two pre-snap penalties and one procedural penalty, which have been par for the course for right tackle Victor Riley this season. These penalties once again helped to keep the Saints’ offense anemic.
I don’t know where the owner or the team goes from here. Fans are calling for the head of Coach Haslett and his staff. I cannot disagree with them. I thought Jim Haslett had shown that he had lost this team a year ago and nothing but a fast start would cure that.
In the first three games, they got off to a decent start, but the reality of an undisciplined team following a group of coaches that still have not found the ability to lead was too much to overcome, and the Saints have underachieved as has been the norm under Haslett. Changes need to be made and they need to be swift if Mr. Benson wishes to keep having the Superdome sold out while a poor product is being put on the field season after season.
The last thing D is for is disgusted. That’s me.
